I need computer help!

[yvr girl]

My old laptop died (display driver problems.) Is there a magic cable I can get to access the data on my old computer?

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. Please be more specific.

[yvr girl]

2. Can I access files on my old computer from my new computer

via cable etc?

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. Is the old one still booting? If it won't boot, then no, you cannot.

Since you have offered little information, I'll make a few assumptions: 1) that the screen on the old laptop does not work, 2) that the computer boots, 3) that you can't see to do anything on it because the screen is out, 4) you are running some version of windows, 5) your new computer is running some form of Windows, 6) you do not have a home network already set up, whether wireless or wired, in which you were sharing files between computers.



If the old one boots, AND if you had set it up for network drive sharing, then you can transfer files just over the network, and don't need any new cables.

If you don't have a network, and the computer won't boot (or it boots but you can't see anything because of broken screen), you would have to pull the harddrive and put it into a working computer.

[yvr girl]

5. it sort of boots

It will boot up (usually) but then it freezes. I usually don't get that long before it freezes/gives me a screen of colourful lines/or just fades.

[Rabrrrrrr]

7. That sucks - I suppose, depending on how many files you need off it,

you might have enough time before the thing pukes down to pop some on a floppy or something.

I assume that my assumptions were otherwise correct? You don't have a network? The laptop was not set up to share files? You're working with Windows - maybe XP?

Workin' pretty blind here.


If by "that long" you mean less than a minute, then you might want to go for the option posted below.

[yvr girl]

8. old computer was using Windows ME

New compter is using Vista. I don't have a network at home, although I did use the computer at work (with a network) a few years ago. I don't think I was set up for file sharing.

Will the option below with the computer not on? Treat it like an external drive?

[Rabrrrrrr]

9. If the old one will stay on long enough, you could set it to share files

and then you can see them on the new computer and transfer them over.

If it stays on only for a few seconds, or even just a minute or two, the option below could be the best one.

I've not used that thing that is linked to below, but it appears that you would take the drive out of the old laptop and connect it to the thing, and then you can just use it as another drive and pull off files at your heart's content. It also appears that the below doohickey supplies power to 2.5" drives so it should be very easy.

[yvr girl]

6. it sort of boots

It will boot up (usually) but then it freezes. I usually don't get that long before it freezes/gives me a screen of colourful lines/or just fades.

[mainegreen]

3. Like this?

http://www.newertech.com/products/products_univ_adptr.php

USB to SATA hard drive adapter?
Just hook up the drive to the USB port.

[yvr girl]

10. might be a dumb question but

what is a SATA?

Do I need to take the hard drive out of the laptop?

[mainegreen]

12. SATA is the kind of connecter a hard drive might use.

Also there is ATA/IDE etc, but this connector does most you might have.
Yup, you just connect the hard drive alone to the new computer using the new computer's USB port.
Turns the old drive into a new mapped drive (D: or E: or whatever) on the new computer.

[yvr girl]

13. so I need to take my computer apart to do this?

I'm not sure I'd recognize the hard drive.

[mainegreen]

14. Sure you would.

It's the only thing that looks like a brick with a circle in the center.
If you can work a screwdriver, you should be able to get to the hard drive.

;)

[yvr girl]

11. might be a dumb question but

what is a SATA?

Do I need to take the hard drive out of the laptop?